Family Is The Most Important Thing
by Harmony21
Summary: Killian, Emma and the rest of the gang team up to save Killian's cousin Deli from the Frozen Lands, a hellish prison realm. Rated M for some swearing in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Note to readers: I hope you enjoy the story but know that I don't own OUAT or its characters. Deli, her mother and their story however, are my own invention and do not belong to OUAT.**

The Sad Birthday

After a day out on the water with Emma — a 'floating picnic' she'd jokingly called it — Killian was tired, and not just physically.

Though the day had been wonderful, it had very much reminded him of his family, particularly Liam, and similar things they'd enjoyed as small children.

Had Liam been in Killian's place, he would have been three hundred and thirty three.

"Killian?"

Emma's soft voice sounded from behind him. He stood at the wheel, guiding the Jolly Roger back to its berth in Storybrooke's harbour.

"Hello love," he said, unable to keep the tiredness out of his voice. "Did you enjoy today?"

She snuggled up against him and laid her head on his shoulder. "It was great," she said, giving him a hug. "It was nice, just the two of us. No offence to Henry of course."

Killian concurred, even though he loved Henry like a son. "Considering his job, he probably would have filled half the Book with poetic verses."

Emma laughed, then her expression turned serious as she took a really good look at him. "Are you ok?"

"Fine, just reflective."

"About what?"

Remembering his brother, Killian's heart squeezed painfully in his chest, just as it had done before Rumplestilskin had ripped it out. "My family. Liam's birthday's today."

She squeezed him tight and didn't say a word; she didn't have to. Killian appreciated her support.

They made it back to the docks and disembarked, where Henry was eagerly waiting, book in hand.

"Hey Kid," said Emma, reaching him first and giving him a big hug.

Killian walked by with only a hair ruffle and a wan smile, and Henry glanced at his mother, confused.

"He's ok," she hastened to assure him.

Killian made his way toward Granny's as they caught up to him, needing a good bit of sleep on an actual bed.

Emma pulled Henry to a stop. "Let him go," she said softly, before taking him back to the family apartment.

Entering his rented room, Killian was out before his head hit the pillow.

He dreamed, something he hadn't done in three centuries, since before Neverland. His sleeping thoughts took him back to his childhood and simpler times.

His immediate family had comprised of his parents, Liam and himself; they'd had several relatives however, many of whom lived in nearby villages.

Killian didn't know much about his extended family, but there was one set of cousins whose mother, Mrs Jones' adopted sister Delora, was not run-of-the-mill.

Like Emma, his Aunt Delora had been born with magic, but she'd had a birth family which feared that which was different, no matter how slight.

Afraid, they'd sold her to a merchant seller when she was a mere five years old, shortly after her magic had begun to manifest. At twelve, she managed to escape from the merchant and was adopted by his maternal grandparents.

Traumatized by her childhood experiences, Delora used her magic against others, particularly — once she'd married — her husband and children.

Killian's dream shifted to Liam's eighteenth birthday. His relatives were there, as was his entire village. At fourteen, Killian was four years younger than his favourite cousin, Delanora, his aunt's youngest daughter.

He smiled in his sleep at the memory of her. Due to her mother, from the time Killian was a baby, she'd spent a lot of time at the Jones' cottage; when he was four, unable to pronounce her full name, he gave her the nickname 'Deli'.

The nickname stuck. By the time Killian followed Liam into naval service after the deaths of their parents, Delanora was newly married. She'd confided in Killian that she'd secretly eloped because her mother didn't approve of her choice.

Killian saw Deli once more after her marriage, during a short shore leave.

It was to be the last time.

Not long after the death of Liam and his rejection of proper naval conduct, Killian got word that his favourite relative had vanished and was presumed dead.

Though he mourned her, he eventually met Milah.

The rest, as they say, is history.


	2. Chapter 2

The Unexpected

Emma sighed. After leaving the docks and giving Henry an accounting of their trip, she'd left Killian to his nap and gone back to the station to catch up on some work.

It was beginning to get dark and she was wondering if he would stop by, as he often did at the end of her workday.

"He must still be sleeping," she muttered, reaching for her phone. She called him, but there was no answer.

Putting it out of her mind, she resumed working but when nine thirty rolled around and there was no sign of him, Emma began to worry.

Wondering if maybe his phone was off, she left the station and made her way to Granny's. Arriving on Killian's floor, Emma found the door to his room closed tight.

While that wasn't unusual, what was was the soft sound of crying.

The door was unlocked and Emma peered through, finding Killian lying on the bed. To her surprise, though he was sleeping soundly, he was shaking too.

Worried, she tried to wake him up, but he didn't respond to her at all. After several more tries, she was considering a call to Regina when the shaking and crying stopped.

In the next instant, Emma was jumping backward as Killian jerked, snapping upright on the bed with an anguished cry of horror.

" _DELI_!"

Emma tried to rouse him out of the nightmare, but the next second, he began viciously slashing at the air with his hand and hook. One swipe barely missed her.

"Killian!" She kept back in case he accidentally swiped at her again. "It's ok, wake up."

He completely ignored her. "Deli, no!" Then, " _YOU_ —"

Emma couldn't help but blush as he broke off into a vicious round of cursing she was sure only old-time seafarers knew.

She tried to rouse him again, with no luck. Suspecting something magical, she was reaching for her phone when Killian was suddenly jerked violently backwards. She flinched at the cracking sound his head made as it connected with the wall.

"Killian!"

Enough was enough. She grabbed her phone and dialled Regina, cluing her in while she watched her boyfriend worriedly.

"Hurry!" She snapped, as Killian went into a seizure.

A puff of dark crimson smoke appeared to Emma's left and she turned to find Regina. When the former queen's eyes found Hook, they widened.

She made a quick gesture and Killian stilled, sagging limply against the mattress.

Now that he wasn't moving, Emma rushed to him to check for a pulse.

"He's alive," she breathed, stepping back after a moment.

Regina's expression was partly worried, partly angry. "I can't _believe_ her!" She growled.

Emma frowned. "Her who?"

Regina turned away with a huff and gestured to two chairs in the corner by the window. "Sit down," she said. "This might take awhile."


	3. Chapter 3

Explanations

"So Killian's aunt is still alive?" Incredulous, Emma stared at him; compared to what she'd walked in on, he was resting quietly now.

Regina nodded. "She was adopted by the family of Killian's mother when she was a child. Like us, she has magic, and hates him. I don't know why."

Emma frowned. "So what happened to him?"

The former queen sighed. "As far as I can tell, he was pulled through the dream world into whatever realm his aunt is in and she attacked him."

"How do you know this?"

Regina shrugged. "I met her once," she said evasively.

Emma opened her mouth to ask more but Killian woke up right then, gasping frantically.

She rushed to his side, hoping it would be easier to get his attention this time.

It was. The moment he saw her, he launched himself off the bed and crushed her to him, keening.

Caught completely off guard and squeezed tight, Emma stared in shock at Regina over Killian's shoulder.

Regina could only frown.

It took them several minutes to calm Killian down; Emma was worried because she'd never seen him like this.

Finally, he pulled away and gingerly settled himself at the foot of the bed. "My deepest apologies love."

She gripped his hand tight. "No worries, you were scared."

Killian barely suppressed a shudder of horror. "Not scared lass, terrified."

Seated again, Regina cocked her head. "You were dreaming, what could you _possibly_ have to be scared about?" She scoffed.

Killian slowly turned his head to glare at her, eyes burning bright blue with outrage. When he spoke, his words were sharply enunciated.

"You remember my Aunt Delora, aye?"

Regina nodded and Emma could see just how uneasy she looked.

Killian began trembling again. "Dear old Auntie (and I use the term _very_ loosely) has always disliked people, even her own family. I was terrified of her as a child; my favourite cousin Delanora used to spend a lot of time with us because she was afraid of her mother. And as the youngest, she got most of the abuse.

"The last time I saw Deli, she had just married. It was in secret because she knew her mother wouldn't have approved."

"So what has you so afraid?" Emma asked.

Clutching her hand tightly in his, Killian leaned over and nuzzled her hip, needing the reassurance. "My aunt is still alive. Shortly after Liam died I received word that Deli had disappeared. Tonight I learned that Aunt Delora trapped her."

Emma's eyes went wide.

Killian continued. "Deli apparently managed to evade her mother for a couple of months but; crafty old Auntie tracked her down through a network of spies and killed her husband."

Emma's heart squeezed in sympathy. She'd lost Neal to Zelena as Killian had Milah to the Dark One. "What happened?"

Killian took a deep breath and continued with his story. "After watching her husband die, Deli tried to fight back, but Delora shoved her through a mirrored portal. It opened into the Frozen Lands."

Emma frowned. Since coming to Storybrooke, she'd learned about many of the realms, but had not heard of this one. "What're those? Are they like Arendelle?"

Regina answered. "They're nothing like Arendelle. The Frozen Lands are a prison realm. The moment you enter them, you're frozen like a living statue and the only thing you can do is blink and breathe; other than that you might as well be dead. The entrance moves around to avoid crowding because there are so many people."

Killian shuddered again. "I don't know how I got there, but I was thinking about Deli when I went to sleep and then I found her. Somehow, she managed to tell me she needed my help."

"If she's frozen, how can you help? How can she even talk to you?"

Killian shook his head. "I don't know."

"In the morning, let's go to the library," Emma suggested. "There might be something Belle can dredge up."

Agreeing, Regina left but Killian stopped Emma as she made to go.

"Will you stay?" He asked.

She nodded and settled on the bed with him behind her. As she drifted off, she could feel him trembling again. She pressed firmly against him in wordless comfort.

Killian's thoughts were on his cousin as he tried to go back to sleep. He glanced at his hook, draped protectively across Emma's hip.

He really hoped they could help Delanora.

God help his aunt if they couldn't.


	4. Chapter 4

The First Clue

Come morning, a frown was the first reaction of Storybrooke's resident librarian when Emma led the way into the library's main room.

"Belle, how're you?" Emma asked.

"Fine, but you seem out of sorts."

Emma indicated Killian, who explained the situation.

"Hmmm," said Belle, already reaching for the nearest tome. "I've never heard of them."

They spent the next two hours searching books, writing down every mention of the Frozen Lands no matter how obscurely they were referenced.

"Here's something," Belle said. She indicated a complicated-looking spell.

Regina peered over her shoulder. "I can do that."

"What is it?" Killian asked.

Belle pointed to the page. "This is a spell that adds a protective layer. If done properly, it should prevent freezing once the Lands are entered."

"And Delora wouldn't have wanted to do that with Deli," Killian growled.

Passing him a sympathetic look, Emma said to Regina, "How does it work?"

Regina studied the page for a moment before answering. "I simply put a protective layer over you. It acts like Saran Wrap and keeps the air of the Lands from reaching you. And no, it won't make you have to hold your breath."

"So people are frozen when they breathe," Killian mused.

Regina nodded. "As the bookworm said, it should prevent freezing. The air in the Lands is what causes it, so the spell should create a barrier."

Nodding, Emma turned to make her way out onto the street, with the others following behind. As they emerged into daylight, Killian was frowning.

"What is it?"

"It seems a idiotic question, but if the Frozen Lands causes people to be unable to move, and Delora is there, wouldn't she be frozen too?"

Regina shook her head. "Not if she found a similar spell to what we did. If she knew the secret, she could move around quite easily."

"What bugs me is how she's still alive," said Emma.

Regina shrugged. "Magic."

Killian turned to Emma. "Love, do you think Deli has some sort of magic?"

Emma shrugged. "If she inherited something from her mother, that might be why she was able to contact you."

They went to Granny's for a late breakfast, and as they ate, discussed what to do next.

"Should we try contacting her again?" Killian suggested, shovelling a forkful of bacon into his mouth. The women gave him dirty looks.

Emma said "No," at the same time, Regina said, "Yes."

Frowning, Killian looked back and forth between them.

After a moment, Regina huffed out a breath. "If we try and get a hold of her, there's a spell I can do. It allows the spirit of the person being called to possess someone. Maybe we could find out some more information before we go galavanting off somewhere."

The pirate eagerly got to his feet.

"Slow down," Emma cautioned.

Killian was almost vibrating with urgency. "We have to hurry, lass; Deli's already spent enough time in that hell realm."

"He's got a point," Regina said.

Both of them looked at Emma expectantly.

"Fine," Emma groaned after a moment.

Leaving the remains of their breakfast behind, the three of them went back into the street.

"Where should we do it?" Emma asked.

"It's best done somewhere she would know." Regina turned to look at Killian, who appeared very anxious. "What about the Jolly Roger?"

"Perfect!" Killian crowed and took off toward his beloved ship.

The women followed after him.


	5. Chapter 5

Possession

The trio arrived at the docks, where the Jolly Roger sat, looking very out of place amongst the modern boats.

Killian grinned at the sight of her. He'd captained her for centuries, and still felt that burst of pride in his chest every time he looked at her.

He led Emma and Regina right into the captain's quarters. "Will this do?"

Regina looked around her with a critical eye before nodding. "One of you needs to play host. As the caster, I can't do it."

"I'll do it."

"Killian no," Emma protested. "Please don't."

He gave her a look reminiscent of one she often gave Henry when she was being serious. "I have to, love. She's family. You and I both know that family is the most important thing in life."

He knew what such words did to her.

Realizing he was right, Emma stepped away. "What do we have to do?"

Regina located and threw her a length of rope. "Tie him to a chair. Since we don't know if we'll even get the right spirit, I don't want to take any chances."

Emma exchanged an uneasy look with Killian, who shrugged and sat down in the nearest chair.

"Make it good and tight," he said, as she tied him up. "Just in case."

Finished, Emma held in a sob and gave him a quick kiss before moving to stand next to Regina.

"Try to relax," the former queen said. "A relaxed host is easier for the spirit to enter. Otherwise it's like trying to move through brambles."

Ignoring the last half of that, Killian closed his eyes, waiting for Regina to cast the spell.

Emma stared at Killian, her emotions in a knot. Moments after the spell was cast, his eyes flew open and he gasped.

"Killian?" Emma asked cautiously. "You ok?"

The expression on his face was one of surprise, and when he spoke, she jerked back in shock at the frightened woman's voice that came out of his mouth.

"What's going on, where am I?"

Realizing the spell had worked, Emma crouched in front of Killian, and took his hand. The answering squeeze was almost painful.

"What's your name?" If they had the right one, she already knew, but unfamiliar as she was with bodily possession, she wanted to make sure the spirit in him was Delanora.

Nervous, the spirit wet Killian's lips. "I'm Delanora Hangesh, who're you?"

"My name's Emma and this is Regina. Do you know what's happened?"

Delanora cast Killian's eyes nervously around the small cabin. "You brought me out of the Frozen Lands, but where are we exactly?"

"This is the Jolly Roger. It belongs to your cousin, Killian Jones."

Under her fingers, she felt Delanora freeze in shock. "What? He's still alive?"

Emma nodded and gave her a brief history of what she knew of Killian's past.

Delanora sagged with relief. "Thank god, he's alright." She looked down. "I'm in his body, aren't I?"

In unison, Emma and Regina's eyebrows went north.

"Yes, you are." Regina said after a pregnant minute, watching her very closely. "We tied him up in case we ended up with the wrong spirit."

Delanora cast off her words. "No worries, I'm not my mother."

It was time to get down to business. "Delanora—" Emma began but she was interrupted.

"Please, call me Deli."

Emma smiled. "Deli, we're going to go to the Lands to try and get you out." Quickly, she explained the protective spell they'd found.

Deli twisted Killian's face into a snarl, which made him look frightening. "My mother knows that one, AND the counter spell," she growled and sounded so much like Killian that Emma had to smile. "If you go there, you'll need the key."

At their confused glances she explained, "Shortly after my imprisonment, my mother appointed herself the realm's warden. I s'pose she wanted to keep an eye on me. Mind you, I'm not the only magically gifted person in the Lands; just in case a magical prisoner manages to unfreeze, each inmate has a lock attached to their feet that keeps them from leaving. She has all the keys."

"How do we—" Emma began but Killian's body suddenly seized.

"I have to go!" Deli cried. "My mother's coming! If she finds out I'm not in my body . . ."

"Go!" Regina hissed.

"Summon me again if you need to!" Emma was about to let go of Killian's hand, but Deli tightened her grip in desperation. "Keep Killian safe, and be careful!" She left.

The instant she was gone, Killian let out a groan and slumped in the chair, sagging heavily against the ropes that held him in place.

"Are you alright?"

Despite appearing exhausted, he smiled cheekily. "Worried about me, Swan?"

Emma punched him lightly on the shoulder, then undid the ropes.

"So what's the next step?" He asked, working out his limbs as he gingerly stood up.

"You weren't—"

His grin was full blown. "Nope, I heard every word. Felt like I was underwater, but I was still there."

Regina sighed. "Well we know we need to get the key to get her out." She looked at her watch as Killian yawned. "For now, you need to get some rest."

"Really? It's only—" Killian glanced at Emma's watch. "Eleven in the morning."

The look Regina gave him had a tendency to frighten others, but not him. "You were just possessed," she hissed. "That takes a lot out of a person. Go get some rest. We can resume this later." She poofed out.

Emma watched her leave, then turned to her boyfriend, who was watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"You alright love?"

"I should be asking you that," she said, taking his hand and leading him off the ship.

"Get some sleep," she said, once they were back in his room at Granny's; she kissed him. "I'm going to check on Henry then I'll be back, ok?"

Nodding, his body begging for a long lie down, Killian settled in the bed, watching Emma as went out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

A Way Out

True to Regina's words, Deli's possession took a lot out of Killian; he fell asleep around eleven thirty that morning, and didn't wake up again until the next day.

Emma stayed by his side throughout and when he finally opened his eyes, it was to find her beside him, snuggled against his chest.

He smiled sleepily at her. "Hello love."

She grinned back and brought a hand up to lay against his cheek.

Gently nipping her fingers, Killian asked, "How long have I been sleeping?"

Emma checked her watch. "Since eleven thirty yesterday morning. It's now seven thirty."

Killian glanced out the window, which was filled with early morning light. He'd been sound asleep for the past twenty hours straight.

"I guess Regina was right, Deli's possession did take a lot out of me," he admitted. Still wearing his clothes from the day before, he got out of bed and changed.

Finished, he turned to help her off the bed. "So what's next?"

Emma hugged him tight. "We have to find a way into the Frozen Lands," she said. "I would ask Gold, but we all know how _that_ might go."

Killian agreed; he'd had enough of the crocodile too. "What about the fairies?" He asked, looking down at her. "Think they would know a way in?"

Emma looked up at him. "They might; let's go see them."

They left Granny's and made their way to the large rectory behind Storybrooke's church, where the fairies lived.

The Mother Superior, also known as Blue, met them at the door. When she saw Killian, she tensed.

Considering he'd been the one to suck her and her sisters into the magic hat, Emma couldn't blame her.

"Yes?" She asked stiffly, after a tense moment.

Killian explained yet again what was going on. When he finished, Blue was looking pensive.

"Do you have any beans left?" Emma asked. "Anything that could help us?"

There was something in the fairy's expression that she couldn't place. She had something in mind; Emma just hoped that whatever the Mother Superior had planned, it didn't backfire on them.

Blue stepped away from the door and beckoned them inside. Watching Killian closely, she said, "Come with me."

They followed her through the main hall; at the end of it, near a large staircase, stood another door. Like the front door, it was made of heavy wood. It also had intricate carvings.

Blue turned to Emma. "Can you read this?"

Emma studied the carvings. Much like an optical illusion, it took her a moment to see their pattern. Once she did, they seemed to glow and shift.

"It says only the Gifted may enter."

Blue nodded. "You'll need to stay here," she said to Killian.

Considering the look she gave him, it seemed he didn't mind.

The fairy opened the door and led Emma inside.

Blue closed the door and flicked on a light. Emma blinked and was confronted with a large stone room; she blinked again, certain her eyes were playing tricks. After a moment, she realized they weren't, and to her delight . . .

 _The walls were covered with magic beans!_

"How did this happen?"

Blue sighed. "Every time someone needs a bean, I keep saying it's the last one. In truth, we've secretly been maintaining that old field Regina destroyed a few years ago. The beans rejuvenated from the fire, much like some plants."

Emma stared at the harvested beans, stored in large jars. "If it was known you had these . . ."

Blue gave her a small, funny smirk, purposely not mentioning the memory charm that had been spelled into the bean room's door. "Why do you think the room's shielded?" She reached for the nearest jar and took out a single bean.

Handing it to Emma, she led the Saviour back out to the hall.

"Emma love, you ok?" Killian asked. She had an odd look on her face.

"Yeah . . ." She glanced at the tiny bean held tight in her fist, and as Blue led them back to the front door, she vaguely wondered where exactly she'd gotten it from.


	7. Chapter 7

Across The Threshold

Emma kept a tight hold of the magic bean all the way back to her parents' place, where Regina and Henry were waiting with them.

"Well?" Was Regina's first word.

Emma showed her the bean before stowing it in her pocket. "We have a way home, now we just have to find the way in."

Killian glanced around. "We might have to call Deli for that," he said after a moment, his voice low and a little hesitant. "She'd know."

Five sets of eyes regarded him, one angrily. "Absolutely not," said Emma firmly after a moment. Then, without thinking she said, "Her possession of you kept you in bed for almost a day."

He opened his mouth to respond to that, but was stopped by Snow's shriek, which made him wince.

" _Possession_?!" She turned to glare at her daughter. "Emma, is there something you're not telling us?"

Sighing, fervently wishing she'd not said it, Emma reluctantly told them about Killian's possession aboard the Jolly Roger.

Snow and David gave Killian incredulous stares. "Why the hell would you allow that?" David asked. "It's a bad idea to bare your soul to someone."

"Because my cousin is trapped in a hell realm!" Killian growled. "She was put there by her own _mother_."

Their expressions softened into ones of sympathy. "Sorry," said Snow quietly. "We didn't know."

"Moving on," Killian said, changing tack. "There might be a way into the Lands from the Mansion." He glanced around at them again, as if expecting judgement; his eyes landed on Emma last. "Gold took me there when he had my heart."

She gave him a look, one he knew said he shouldn't blame himself. "Let's check it out," she said.

As the group moved towards the door, Henry made to go with them, but both his mothers stopped him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Regina asked.

"With you of course," said Henry. His voice was matter of fact.

"Absolutely not!" Emma and Regina said at the same time.

"Have you both forgotten that I'm the Author now?" Henry asked, holding the Book up for them to see. "I have to go, and I'm not a child anymore."

"He's got a point," Snow interjected from the doorway.

"Fine," Emma said after a moment.

Regina glared at her. "Are you crazy?! He can't go."

After much pleading from her son however, the former queen finally relented, and the six of them travelled through town towards the foreboding mansion that towered over the lakeshore, just outside Storybrooke's central core.

No sooner had they stepped into the library than Killian said, "Let's call Deli."

Emma still didn't like it, but she stood to the side with Henry and her parents as Regina brought Deli through the realms.

The first thing she did was furrow Killian's brow. "Nice to see he's still in one piece," she said, checking his body. Then she took a good look around. "Where am I now?"

"It's a long story, one we'll explain later," Emma said and introduced Deli to her parents and son.

While Deli was happy to see them, both Snow and David were wary and unsure. Henry jumped at the chance to record in the Book again.

"Killian Jones possessed by his cousin — do you have a last name, Deli?"

She was a bit taken aback by his eagerness and after an awkward hesitation asked, "Do you need to put it in?" She peered over his shoulder as he wrote.

"Yes."

"It's Hangesh, my — my husband Logan's last name." She clenched Killian's fist tightly until the knuckles turned white; Emma noticed tears of anguish in her eyes. "My maiden name — and that of my mother and aunt before their marriages — was Gand."

Nodding, Henry finished writing. "Got it," he confirmed. At the curious look Deli was wearing on Killian's face, he clarified, "Its for future generations."

"Oh."

Emma decided to change topics before things got any more awkward. "How do we get to the Frozen Lands?"

Deli looked around her, able to see, even in her cousin's body, what the others could not. She pointed to the massive fireplace along one wall.

"See the model of the grandfather clock on the mantle?" They nodded. "You'll find a dime-sized black dot on its bottom. That'll open the portal chamber. The chamber is our way in"

Knowing from past experiences what could happen, Emma and Regina moved to the clock and pressed the black dot while the others hung back.

After a tense few moments, a hidden door to the left of the fireplace opened to reveal a ten foot square stone room.

The six of them crowded into it, unsure what would happen next.

"Now what?" Emma asked, and didn't know why exactly she was whispering. There was something eerie about the chamber.

Deli stepped to the front and waved a hand at the wall directly opposite them; the group watched as a huge round disc of electricity appeared in the middle of the wall, expanding until it was big enough for all of them.

Quickly, Regina cast the spell of protection. It felt delicate but strong, a gentle hum along the skin.

"All good?" Deli asked. "Is Killian protected too?"

Regina nodded moments before they stepped forward and went across the portal's threshold.


	8. Chapter 8

Delora

Moments after entering it, the portal spat the rescuers out into the middle of a vast meadow of rolling knolls, dotted with what looked like trees. Bare, gold-capped black mountains rose in the distance, looming over the landscape.

Getting to her feet, Emma stared around in horror. The meadow's grass and plants were blood-red, the trees had ugly, scaly grey trunks with shrivelled black leaves and the sky overhead was an unbroken cloud of depressing bluish black.

Worse than the scenery however were the people spread out across the meadow, all in a variety of positions. None of them were moving, and just as Deli had mentioned on the Jolly Roger, the prisoners all had leg chains attached to spikes deep in the ground.

Regina curled her lip in disgust, as horrified as the others by what she was seeing. "Your mother _likes_ it here?"

"My mother," said Deli, maiming a cut motion. "Is a horrible woman. She looks all nice and sweet, but there's an evil monster underneath. It's a wonder my siblings and I didn't inherit some of that."

"I think Killian for one is thankful you didn't," Emma said, knowing her boyfriend could hear.

Deli smiled at her before setting off toward the western edge of the meadow; after a moment's hesitation, the others followed.

Emma glanced at her parents, who were walking behind her with Henry. They were frowning at various statues, and Henry barely held back a yell of surprise when one of them blinked at him.

"That's all you can do," Deli called from the front. "Blink and breathe."

Snow peered at a beautiful red-haired woman in a formal green dress. She was wearing an expression of frightened denial and had her arms raised in defense. The movement of her eyes and chest were unnaturally regular and, with no other movement from the rest of her body, extremely creepy.

"I think the sooner we get you and get out of here, the better," David said grimly, leading his wife and grandson away from the woman.

Deli snorted. "Having been here for over three hundred years, I couldn't agree more. Come on, this way."

Emma caught up to her as they neared the edge of the meadow. "I never had the chance to ask before but how did you manage to avoid this?" She gestured to the statues at large.

"I didn't," said Deli sadly, and the expression she had on Killian's face made Emma's heart ache horribly. "The only good thing each of us kids got from my mother was an innate magical ability. I'm an Astral; my older twin brothers were Mimics and my sister a Teleporter."

Emma frowned. "She couldn't come get you?"

Deli shook her head. "No," she whispered. "Having found the same spell you did, she tried, shortly after my mother became warden." She sniffed, twisting Killian's face into an expression of rage and extreme disgust and Emma realized something must have happened to her sister. "Dear _mother_ killed her."

Emma stared in horror. " _Why_?"

Tears threatened to fall but Deli sniffed them back. "It all stems from Mum's childhood. She does what she does because she thinks people are going to hurt her and she doesn't want to get hurt first."

"It may be in some sort of warped self defence, but that doesn't make it ok," David growled, as the others caught up to them.

They reached the edge of the meadow a few minutes later; its border was defined by a thick, four-foot-high stone wall of smooth black volcanic glass. Without any sort of sunshine, it glinted dully. Beyond the wall was a vast sandy golden beach with more people.

Emma and the others stared at the beach and at the wall. Combined with the rest of the scenery, they lent an even more sinister feel to the place.

Deli pointed to a pretty brunette woman standing near the fence, a few feet from a man dressed as Mickey Mouse. "That's me," she said then turned to Regina. "Can you cast the protection spell? That way, once I'm freed, I won't get stuck again."

Regina cast it but moments after the spell settled over Deli's frozen form, the sky overhead darkened to pitch black.

Cursing, Deli herded them together, glancing about fearfully. "I forgot about that," she said.

"About what?"

Mother can sense magic," she spat. "Every time someone magical gets trapped here — or in this case uses magic — she's on them like a Canadian on maple syrup."

Choosing to ignore her odd comparison, Emma watched as an older blond woman in her early forties dropped down from the nearest patch of cloud.

To the shock of everyone except Deli, she was riding a horse-sized, wingless black dragon. It's golden eyes glittered as it landed with a snort.

"Hello dear," the woman said. Deli tensed visibly, preparing Killian's body for whatever her mother might throw her way.

Emma's stomach clenched at the saccharine sweetness of the woman's voice. Instinctively, she knew it was just a veneer.

Beside her, Regina was also prepared for a fight. "Delora," she said icily. "Still running scared?"

Delora turned a frosty glare onto Regina. "I'm sorry, I don't remember you," she said in mock forgetfulness. Then she thought for a moment. "Oh wait, yes I do! You're one of Cora's little bitches."

Regina bristled. Emma hated her already.

"And who have we here?" She turned her attention to Snow, David and Henry.

Before she could say or do anything else, Emma strode over to plant herself between Delora and her family. "Back off," she growled. She spared a glance at Deli, who looked frightened for her.

Delora cocked her head. "My my, you are a bold little girl, aren't you?"

Even though she was frightened herself, Emma lifted her chin defiantly. "I'm neither little nor a girl," she said. Behind her, she could feel pride from her family.

Delora laughed, the sound ringing throughout the meadow. Emma thought she heard an echo, but with an open space, that shouldn't be possible.

"Deli love, I haven't had this much fun since your sister came here!"

The expression Deli was wearing should have been enough to turn Mount Everest to tiny fragments. "I hate you," she snarled.

"Come now, darling, you can't hate your own mother!"

Deli raised Killian's eyebrows in a gesture Emma knew very well. "Psychotic bitch." She breathed it so quietly only Regina, standing beside her could hear.

Having noticed that her mother wasn't using her magic against them, Deli rushed at Delora, punching and kicking. In her own body, they wouldn't have had much of an impact, but in Killian's, the blows made a difference.

Moments later, Emma joined the fight, and managed to snatch the ring of keys from Delora with the quickness of the thief she'd once been.

Grinning in triumph, she went over to Deli's body and yanked the spike out of the ground.

Delora cursed her, screaming in outrage, but Emma ignored her as she unwrapped the chain from around Deli's leg and threw it to Regina.

The former Evil Queen approached Delora, her expression one of sympathy as Deli held her down.

"I had a bad mother too," she said, wrapping the chain around Delora's leg and magically binding it to the spike which she forced into the ground. "All she cared about was power and it eventually led to her death."

Delora shrugged. "Why should I care about your mother? She was nothing."

" _She_ isn't trapped in her own realm," Deli pointed out, finally getting to her feet.

"I will be free, just you wait!" Delora snarled, tugging uselessly on the chain. She tried to blast Regina away from her, but nothing happened. She frowned. "Why isn't my magic working?"

Regina grinned, a hint of her former persona about her. "I've been repressing it since you and Mushu arrived," she said with a brief half glance at the dragon.

Delora swore at her. "When I get free, I'm coming for you first!" She snarled.

"No you aren't," said Regina before freezing her. Unlike the other prisoners, there was no movement at all from her. "Frozen permanence," she whispered, turning her back.

"Good riddance," Deli sighed. She turned towards her body, which David and Emma had managed to move. It was now leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

The group watched as Deli moved Killian to stand in front of her; Emma and David were close enough to catch him when he shuddered and collapsed as she left him.

"Oh god," he groaned.

"You alright?" Emma asked.

Killian nodded.

It was a few minutes before he was able to stand by himself. When he could, the first thing he did was crush Deli in a hug.

Her big brown eyes sparkled. "Ah, much better." She grinned at her cousin.

Killian wrapped his arms around her and Emma as they moved away from the wall toward an open space.

Emma still had the bean in her pocket. She threw it and once the portal opened, they all jumped into it, eager to go home.


	9. Chapter 9

A Strange New World

They landed back in the portal chamber. Everybody except Killian was on their feet.

"Everyone ok?" Emma asked. Then she noticed a certain pirate. "Killian!"

He was unconscious again. Shaking her head, Regina conjured up a wheeled gurney and magically placed Killian onto it; after securely strapping him in, she tasked David with pushing.

"Why do _I_ get to push the pirate?" He asked, frowning at her.

"Because you're a guy, Dad," said Emma.

Rolling his eyes at his daughter, David made his way out of the chamber first, the others following behind him. Once out in the library, Deli could only gape.

"I didn't really look earlier but there are so many books in here! What kind of world is this? I know a bit from Killian, but," she trailed off, gesturing.

Smiling at her, Emma led the way out of the mansion. Deli balked in confusion and fear at seeing the vehicles parked in front.

"What are those?" She glanced at her unconscious cousin, still sleeping on his gurney. "He knows them as 'metal contraptions.'"

"This one," said David, pointing to his old single cab. "Is a truck. Regina's is a car."

Deli moved toward them cautiously. She poked the truck's side mirror, and then jumped back, as if expecting it to bite.

"It won't hurt you," said Emma with a laugh. After helping her dad load Killian into the back, she magically attached the gurney to the side of the truck bed to keep it from moving, then got in the front. Snow, Henry and Regina meanwhile, got in her car.

Deli gave Emma a dubious look before reluctantly getting in beside her. She gave a huge jump as David started the truck and the engine rumbled to life.

"Oh, I don't like this much!" She cried, grabbing hold of Emma as they made their way through town.

By the time they arrived at the loft, Deli was white, her eyes round. Once David cut the engine, she practically exploded out of the cab.

"You alright, Deli?" David asked as he got out and unstrapped Killian from the gurney.

Shaking, she nodded. "I'll be ok, I didn't know that's what they did."

Emma frowned at her. "Why not? Killian does."

Deli shrugged. "I guess that tidbit didn't come through." At Emma's blank look, she said, "I don't get everything. It's one of the reasons bodily possession is rarely attempted by most Astrals. The possessed could know everything in the world, but the possessor may only get bits and pieces. Control of the body is easy, but gleaning information at the same time can be difficult."

Nodding, Emma led the way into the building. Her dad brought up the rear with Killian in a fireman's carry.

Deli watched with a tender expression as, up in the apartment, Emma lovingly tucked Killian into the spare bed they'd brought in for him. Though he rarely used it, preferring to spend most nights on his ship, he was so much a part of the family now it didn't matter.

"I can see it, you know," said Deli.

Emma looked up at her from where she sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers gently carding through Killian's hair. "See what?"

"Your soul tie."

"What's a—"

Deli held up her hand and projected something from her palm. Emma stared at it. The image, sharp and crystal clear, showed interlocking gender symbols. While most of the male was blue and the female pink, where they met glowed a deep, bright gold instead of purple.

Emma frowned as Deli closed her hand and the image vanished. "What does that mean?"

Deli grinned. "The gold represents true love. You're supposed to be together."

"That's a nice thought, but I'm not really a forever kind of girl."

Deli joined her on the bed and put a hand on her shoulder. "You should be." She glanced at Killian, letting the love she had for him swell inside her, and she deliberately let that sensation flow from her to Emma.

The other woman's eye bugged at the feeling. "Whoa, what was that?"

Deli smiled. "That's the love I have for my cousin . . . and he for you."

Emma couldn't help but scoff. "Please, Killian doesn't—"

"As you wish," Deli intoned quietly. "What is that from?"

Emma clapped a hand to her mouth then after a moment, lowered it to her lap. "That's from _The Princess Bride_ ; it's Westley's way of saying 'I love you.' Killian said it to me in Neverland."

Deli raised her eyebrows. "See the point I'm trying to make?"

With a nod, Emma went back downstairs, followed by her new friend. Her parents were waiting for an update.

"He's fine," she said. "He just needs to sleep again."

"Lucky for him, I won't have to possess him anymore," said Deli?

"Celebration at Granny's, anyone want to go?" Snow asked?

The others agreed. Just in case he woke up, Emma left Killian a quick note.

When they arrived, Henry and Regina were waiting for them as was what looked like half the town.

"This is a very strange-looking world," Deli commented as they crowded into the diner.

They managed to squeeze over to where Henry and Regina were sitting, Henry was scribbling madly in the Book, trying to get down all the details of their adventure.

"He's been writing like that for the last half hour," said Regina with a shake of her head.

"He's busy."

They spent the rest of the afternoon and much of the evening at Granny's, enjoying everyone's company. After one story too many, Deli said she would like to explore the world and see what else there was.

Regina sobered. "You won't be able to return," she said. "Once someone leaves, they're not able to come back to Storybrooke."

To her surprise, there was a sparkle in Deli's eye. "I won't be gone," she said, and Emma knew she was hinting at possession again.

The next day, Killian woke up and was able to see his cousin off with the rest of them. He was sad to see her go, and made her promise to visit again.

"I will," she said, giving him a fierce hug, one he returned in kind. "I'm not gone forever."

Then she stepped over the barrier, her new family vanishing from sight.


	10. Chapter 10

Epilogue

After she left, life in Storybrooke more or less returned to normal. Every once in awhile, Deli would drop by, and it always startled Emma whenever she did because Killian would suddenly start speaking with her voice, which threw a lot of people for a loop.

"It's getting easier," Deli commented on her third visit during Christmastime at the mayor's house. "Regina doesn't have to call me."

"Because you're in the same realm!" The mayor barked.

Emma laughed and gave her a hug, glad she could make it for the holidays, even though it meant Killian couldn't enjoy them. But that was ok, she had something special planned for him later.

Deli sobered. "I checked on my mother," she said. "There's no way she's ever leaving the Frozen Lands."

"Good. What about the others?"

"I freed the people who were wrongly held. They've returned to where they were supposed to be."

Glad that everything had worked out, Emma urged Deli toward the kitchen where the Christmas feast was waiting.

Deli's eyes widened at the table, which was completely covered by turkey, gravy, stuffing, and a number of things she knew about but had never seen.

She picked up a Christmas cracker and studied it. "What is this?"

Grinning, Henry grabbed the other end and pulled. The cracker came apart with a loud bang.

Deli jumped, then laughed in delight, even more so when she saw the tiny pirate ship the cracker contained.

Snow came up to her with a glass and offered it to her. "Eggnog?"

Frowning, Deli took the glass and studied the contents. "Does it actually have eggs in it?"

Snow shrugged and took a sip from her own glass. Deli followed suit, surprised by the taste.

"Mm, this is good."

Snow's eyes twinkled.

They soon sat down to eat, gathered at the big dining room table. Deli gazed around, thinking.

Had it not been for her cousin's determination, she would still be a frozen statue, but because of Killian, she had a new life.

And a new family.


End file.
